Illness as a Social Diagnose: Philosophy of Social Exclusion and Reintegration
The aim of the article is to analyze the problems of the illness in the socio-cultural aspect. The illness is not only a pathological condition of the organism, but also a moral shock and social drama. Throughout human history took place the evolution of the nature of the major diseases that threaten human health and forms of social reactions to them. The social response to the illness in primitive societies of hunters and gatherers was to unite all social group around the ill. In complex societies, from the agrarian to the industrial, due to the emergence of so-called “new diseases” were not only more effective healing system, but also a special narrow-minded philosophy of social exclusion and spiritual reintegration. This type of philosophy is an important mental characteristic of complex societies, to ensure their survival in the face of inexplicable danger. Unlike the primitive clan, with its shared responsibility for every human, complex modern society, where people are no longer able to share any common values or a common destiny, need other remedies. A case of leprosy showed that the perception of some illnesses can take the form of social diagnosis, and this type of perception continues to reproduce at the present.
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